Plasmodium berghei PbeIK2KO sporozoites

Malaria sporozoites, the form transmitted by mosquitoes, are quiescent while in the insect salivary glands. It is only after the sporozoites are deposited in the host’s skin, migrate to the liver and infect hepatocytes that the parasites continue the life cycle. We show that the sporozoite latency is an active process that requires phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α) by a sporozoite-specific kinase. Inactivation of the kinase gene leads to an overall enhancement of protein synthesis including of silenced liver stage proteins, and inhibits transmission of malaria. Specific inhibition of the eIF2α phosphatase by salubrinal has the opposite effect. Thus, to prevent premature transformation into liver stages, Plasmodium sporozoites exploit the same mechanism that regulates stress responses in mammalian cells. 4 samples overall, 2 wt and 2 KO (PbeIK2 knockout) samples